Morrison Books

This is the second collcetion of the Invisibles - and it helps to have read the first a couple of times, as the story and dimensions twist and turn even more in this second outing of Jack Frost, King Mob and the rest of the crew.

As you can judge from the cover - there is a darker undertone in this volume, death in his various incarnations plays a more central role as we are given a broader glimpse into the world of the Invisibles.

Does contain some strong passages, as this is not a mainstream comic book with caped heroes - but a dark tale in the spirit of Alan Moore (Watchmen and V for Vendetta)

...it begins with some one shots, some of them incredibly realistic and humane, and continues into Lord Fanny origin, which is Castaneda meets Morrison. The trade is coherent and not so psychodelic like rest of series is.

If you like this, get Say You Want A Revolution

The Invisibles hits an early peak with this collection, which features issues 9-16 of the series' first volume. It kicks off in slightly arbitrary fashion with 23: Things Fall Apart, which surely would have been more comfortable nestling up at the end of Say You Want A Revolution as a coda to the Arcadia story-arc reprinted there.

Still, beginnings as endings is a recurring theme throughout the series so it's just possible that the editors in charge of the Invisibles' release in graphic novel format are less incompetant and insane than the books' slapdash release schedule would seem to indicate.

Even this early in the title's run Grant Morrison is already going out of his way to shade our perception of the story and its protagonists, sowing seeds that will only grow to full bloom a year or more down the road. This can be seen first in the characters' varying reactions to the bloodbath of the opening issue, but it's telling that Morrison is willing to take (almost) an entire issue away from his main characters to continue the process, resulting in one of the best, most innovative stories of the entire series - the elegant, borderline-heartbreaking Best Man Fall.

From that high (or possibly low) we're immediately picked up and pitched straight into another. The She-Man arc is an example of that rarest of comic-book beasts - a back-story that actually serves to make the character involved more interesting. It helps of course that the character in question is the dazzling Lord Fanny ("I'm an international freedom fighter AND a photogenic witch, darling. I'm the most glamerous creature you'll ever meet!") and helps even more that the immensely talented Jill Thompson is on pencilling duty, but the net result is a story of initiation that's both brutal and - no pun intended - magical. Oh, and for good measure it concludes with the biggest, sheerest cliffhanger of the series so far, one that'll have any sane person scrabbling to get hold of Entropy In The UK, the collection that concludes Volume 1.

Throw in the always-fun Jim Crow making his scholck-horror debut, Jack/Dane trying (and mostly failing) to come to terms with his new place in the world, and a couple of absolutely belting covers and all in all you've got what is, despite strong competition, probably my favourite Invisibles graphic novel.

Plus it's got the best title of anything, ever. This isn't even open for debate.

A few years ago I read a bunch of Invisibles books, but somehow always missed this one. I might have stayed away because of the femme cover/title, and the inside art is all over the place quality-wise.

I'm wishing that I had picked it up sooner, though, because the storylines here are among the best in the series, and maybe in comicdom. One story I loved: yuppies at a pharmaceutical company distribute a crack that kills the bodies of users and leaves them as empty vessels for the yuppies to "joy ride." Another: the back story of Lord Fanny and her psychosexual "spirit quest" to become a transsexual witch.

For those who haven't been exposed to The Invisibles, you need to check this series out. I find it more twisted, more compelling, and more fringe than any of the other series I've read, including Transmetropolitan and Preacher. In fact, this is light-years beyond anything published in drab-text "Literature."

Book 2 of the Invisibles picks right up from Book 1's cliffhanger ending: Dane, one of his fingers chopped off by the sadistic (and demonic) Orlando, has taken flight, and the Invisibles have to find him. Unfortunately, heavily-armed "Myrmidons" have surrounded them, and what follows is the first all-out action scene since the very beginning of Book 1.

After this, things slow down a little, as creator/writer Grant Morrison "opens up" the world of the Invisibles. Even though we still don't know much about our main characters (King Mob, Boy, Ragged Robin, Lord Fanny), Morrison introduces new people to the fold, and we see how the exploits of the Invisibles affect the rest of the world.

First we are introduced to one of the more monstrous creatures ever witnessed in mass media entertainment, something that just might be the next king of England. Then we meet Jim Crow, an Invisible witch doctor who's both a world-famous rapper and a host for sacrifice-hungry voodoo spirits. And finally we are given one of the best single-issue stories in the series, "Best Man Fall," which, despite its seeming insignificance to the larger story, possesses more heart and emotion than any other in the series' history. A nonlinear narrative, this story shows how the "other side" works, and for once we see how our "heroes" (King Mob in particular) could just as easily be seen as "the bad guys." This is a great story, and worth the price of Book 2 alone.

The book closes out with a story arc that revolves around transvestite shaman Lord Fanny, in which we see his/her initiation as a young boy into the world of the supernatural. At the same time, the forces of darkness close in on the Invisibles in the present, and the two storylines merge into a narrative that defies the laws of the time/space continuum.

This arc is the first glimmerings of Morrison's grander scheme with the series; whereas before the Invisibles worked on an us-versus-them mentality, now we slowly begin to see that there are larger ideas at play. The volume ends with a story showing where Jack went, after his escape in the book's opening story, and finalizes his character arc from defiant loner to full-fledged Invisible.

The artwork is again split among various artists, with my favorite being Chris Weston in the Jim Crow story (Weston later became the regular artist, after Phil Jimenez's run on the title). Jill Thompson turns in the first story, capping off her run that began in Book 1, and she returns with the Lord Fanny arc, with a few one-off artists filling in on the other stories. Again, the artwork is nowhere near the level of Morrison's writing, but it's not terrible. In fact, the art takes second place to the writing in the Invisibles, because this isn't "just" a comic book: the Invisibles is subversive literature of the highest order.

I could not even finish this book. I hated the heroine so much and just pondered when I was ever going to meet a heroine I could really like. I found her boring, a xenophobe and generally not a nice person.

The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club is a great summer read. I read it while on a cruise and it was perfect. The plot line is easy to follow, and if you stop reading for a while and then come back, it is easy to remember what has happened. Cassie is a great, engaging, fun character. The concept of planning your life out is fascinating, if a little odd. The writing style is also very fun and down-to-earthy.

Poor Cassie Moore... when her life in Seattle goes awry and her perfect life plan is forever altered, she looks for a new life and a new start. Granted, her new start is decided in a drunken stupor, but she braves her decision anyway - to start over in Argentina without a plan at all. Cassie is a newbie traveler, and has never left the US, and she is especially panicked because she doesn't know the Argentine language and customs. But, her decision to stay in Argentina for the full six months is a brave one, and I really enjoyed Cassie's journey. Cassie was a bit `loose' sexually for my liking, but she did seem to be a good friend in the book and was easy to identify with in other ways. The author really did a wonderful job of bringing Argentina/Buenos Aires alive, and her descriptions of the life, colors, and flavors of the city had me wishing I could visit. The book was a travelogue in many ways, and I think a lot of women will enjoy this book. It's better than traditional chick-lit because the setting is unique and interesting, and yet it still has a lot of romance too.

Great summer read! One of those interesting not too deep but really fun books. Perfect for sitting at the beach or having along when you want to dive into a novel and forget everything around you--
It is always interesting to see how a girl handles a REAL bad day, and comes out on top!

I really enjoyed about the first third of the book until the plot turned around into a complete different direction. After that, I found it really difficult to want to read the rest. I'm reading this for a book club, so I had to finish it. It was a great story and I enjoyed reading it, but it's not something I'd recommend to anyone.

I own donkeys and I did not get any useful information. I got the Idea they just visted farms with donkeys and then thew a lot of technicial information that does not help understand the donkey.

A wonderful, warm insightful book on the delightful donkey. I read it shortly after becoming a proud owner of 2 donkeys and LOVED it. More than a how to tend your donkey book but a how to appreciate donkeys (and all other creatures)book. You don't even have to know where to pin the tail on a donkey to appreciate this book - and how donkeys are woven into our history and psyche. Read it and cherish it.

I had been wanting this book for a long time, but was a bit disapointed with it when I finally got it. The writers' hearts were certainly in the right place, but it was very badly edited. Many of the sentences didn't make complete sense and many times beautiful ideas were thrown out but not developed at all. I think a really good editing job would help the authors do justice for these wonderful animals.
I enjoyed "Travels with My Donkey" much more.

There are many great things about the book. The images - photos and artwork are outstanding. There are lots of surprising facts about donkeys, mules, and the history of civilization. There is beautiful writing - weaving between the personal and the universal. There is rigorous, careful scholarship, a treasure trove of careful citations to explore. The book has a majestic sweep and keen attention to detail and accuracy. Any one of these aspects of the book would make it worth the modest price. But The truly wonderful thing about this book and the beast it describes, is that it makes you think. The book nudges the reader into unanticipated realms of philosophical reflection. It is deep and rich and wise, but like the burro, humble, sensually centered and honest. You are, for example, reading along - facts about donkeys - and then, all of a sudden, you get something like this: "What do we really know about animals? What can we say with accuracy about ourselves?" Chew on that a while! The book has dozens of such moments, opportunities to step out of the crazy, violent, acquisitive struggles of our historical moment to consider some fundamentals of the mammalian and human condition. It's a great book about a great animal and our connection to the animal world. I own two burros and have long looked to them for council. This book is utterly accurate in its portrayal of the species. It's affectionate and respectful, happliy missing the kitsch and anthropomorphism that most writers bring to books about their favorite animals. Don't miss it.

When I was young and fragile, I lived in the foothills of central California. Across the street from my trailer lived a donkey. His name was Mr. Sissy and he was pissed all of the time, except for Christmas Eve. Why? I never knew but I have my suspicions. I once tried to feed him a carrot, and a sweet carrot mind you, orange and crisp. He would not accept...I tired again...nope, he backed up...I climbed through the fence...he brayed and ATTACKED. I threw the carrot and it did nothing to phaze him! Why me? Now? Years later I read this book and it did nothing to help me understand Mr. Sissy. He is still out there. Some where.

I liked it! It was fun, it was fast, and (for me) it was free. Don't read too much into the thing - it's a comic book, not a dissertation.

Marvel Boy is Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones twisted re-configuration of the Marvel Universe.

It's not as good as Morrison's best work (such as his stunning work on such titles as Doom Patrol and The Invisibles) but it is a a bizzare, over the top comic book full of daft action and slick, kinetic artwork and as such it's a very entertaining read.

The story really gets going with issue three and the introduction of Hexus, the living corporation. From this point on the story is a blur of great ideas and shiny visuals, and the climax to the whole thing is wonderfully absurd.

All in all it's like a flashy, punk rock superhero comic, and a damn fine one at that...

What if you were an alien stranded on a primitive world, hated and feared by civilizations that,quite simply,suck? Would you fight for their safety, and admiration? Probably not, and neither does Noh-var. Put simply,the first chapter in the Marvel Boy trilogy (if it indeed is still that) seems to be Grant Morrison channeling the imaginations of Jack Kirby and Satan simultaniously, and writing the images he recieves down as words.
As fast-paced, and hallucinogenic as he felt like making it. Morrison crafts what couldn't be deemed a dense tale of charactor driven pathos, however it does out-do The Authority for people with personalities( after all, how many issues of people sitting around for three issues only to hit the world conquering threat of the month into submission- without development of characters can you handle?) the development of the characters takes a passanger-side seat to the plot, with neither truly dominating the other... although the plot does speak with a louder,shinier voice at times. Marvel Boy doesn't really break any new ground, until it's too late, and you realize just what is really going on. That's all i'll say about the story, not that what happens is a major suprise, it's just that I hate thinking i'll ruin someone's fun.
Art-wise, J.G. Jones is definetly hitting strides. The art is a perfect compliment to the story, picking up just enough of certain Kirby-isms without being anything other than an homage, even though Jones' art looks nothing like Kirby's. Weird I know, and when you look at the art you might think i'm crazy, but... Just study the overall flow of the story, and it might come to you. The art brings an unparalleled sense of design to the characters that just plain makes sense. Everything about Marvel Boy clicks in what can only be called "Planned coincedense." Everything looks like its two different styles of comics coming together at a random angle, but it feels like the only thing that makes sense. Noh-varr designed by Joe Maduer...y'know Battle chaser's guy wouldn't FEEL right. As a matter of fact, there are only a handful of artists I feel could have pulled off realism in a world created by a sociopathic God.
Believe me, Marvel Boy is more than "Pop comics", or an experiment of what would Stan Lee do if he were inspired by drugs, but it also isn't. When deconstructur-ism seems to be the leading trend in super-hero comics that mean something, Marvel Boy is just the opposite. Flashy costumes and superpowers for the sake of Flashy costumes and explosions, with out being dubbed "Wide-screen" Comics, which those simpering skin-cells at Wizard(shudder) seem to apply to anything these days.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not giving Marvel Boy hand love for the sake of hand love, a little more time could have been spent on developing Noh-varr and Oubliette, and just why their particular brand of neo-relationship works,(which i'm capable of ignoring: If people can form bonds over chat rooms...). My only major gripe with Marvel Boy comes with tha fact that it is indeed edited. The sting of non-anarchist chaotic rhetoric seems to loses it's edge when edited. Oh the irony of the Comics Code.
A comic about someone changing the government, filtered by the government... if you catch my admitedly vague statements. Hopefully, Marvel Boy2 (which Morrison claims to be already writing) will be released through the less restrictive guise of the Marvel Max imprint. One can only hope. So at least read a friend's copy of Marvel Boy, if for nothing else but to see a "Superhero" eating trash for strength.

Are superhero comics nothing but adolescent power fantasies? Grant Morrison claims that Marvel Boy is the epitome of this possible outlook on the genre. This book is Morrison's attempt to trash nostalgic 'dadcomics' and create something new to suit the tastes of today's readers.

Morrison may have created a character that differs from the standard superhero protagonist but does not give us much background on the character. Noh-Varr may spit deadly saliva in the faces of his enemies and turn his pain into music but it is going to take more than that to make him a compelling character. On the other hand, I found the villainous Mr. Midas and his daughter to be quite a bit more interesting than the title's main character. Besides, Morrison seems to have forgotten the most important ingredient of all: a good plot. Luckily, he does compensate for the story with some great dialogue.

Prepare to feast your eyes on some spectacular art work that will dazzle you from panel to panel. There is a sense of vigor in the pencil work that only a few artists such as Bryan Hitch and Alan Davis have been able to attain. The dynamic layouts really captures the look and feel of a major blockbuster action film. There is plenty of explosions, lens views, and close-ups to thrill art lovers. The fantastic coloring elevates the finished pencils and brings a sense of awe to the finished product.

For all the chest thumping that Morrison may be doing about Marvel Boy, the fact is that this series is a desperate attempt to copy the formula that has brought praise to titles such as Authority and Planetary.

Review by Brian Grindrod

This book really doesnt' get going at full steam until the middle of the story, when the Exterminatrix character enters the tale. Then there is some human romantic tension, in a weird, alternate universe kind of way.

The main problem is that there are so few interesting characters to enjoy, since Marvel Boy is so aloof and unsympathetic. There is a very cool, ... alternate reality version of the original Iron Man, who is a villain here, and then his confused daughter, the Exterminatrix, adds a human element and chemistry to the too aloof Marvel Boy.

If you like J. G. Jones, then this book will not disappoint you. The art is very nicely drawn, but it can't hide the coldness of the characters' hearts.

The writing is strange and unique, and very original in the way that it carelessly expresses main characters who find it impossible to care about anybody, though they crave love and material wealth, or destructive revenge, they are all very shallow and casual about interpersonal relationships. It's an interesting point of view in a comic book novel, but it is not extremely endearing.

A better J. G. Jones read would be the "Black Widow" graphic novel, written by Devin Grayson, which is the high point of J. G. Jones career, as far as beautiful artwork is concerned.

This volume describes X-Men in an ugly future where everything is not what it seems. The change is quite abrupt from the previous issues so i was kind of disoriented reading it fast because i wanted to find out what happened to the original characters (because they are not here anymore apart from wolverine!!), but only a few pages are used for them in the end. So I reread it treating it as a story on its own and was even more impressed. Cool characters and amazing art (it fits with the ugly future background perfectly). The characters do not develop much in a few issues but it's a showoff of Morrison's imagination.

Very good!

I don't necessarily disagree with other reviewers here than this collection expands on, and brings closure to, the excellent themes and ideas Morrison had been developing since his start on New X-Men, but I can't help but feeling robbed by the "Imaginary/Alternate Universe" angle, which I feel is a cop-out. There's no integrity, no ownership, no responsibility for anything as soon as you say "It's an alternate timeline." You can do anything you like with no repercussions. Characters can have sensational and meaningless deaths, future connections that have no bearing on current events can be made, etc, etc, etc. I just feel a little cheated, is all. Sorry, Grant!

Although not the best from Morrison's run in X-Men, this last installment has incredible artwork by comics legend Mark Silvestri, which is incredibly beneficial to the overall work. Second only to Riot At Xavier's, Here Comes Tomorrow is a story of the future, where many headmasters are long gone, and Beast, a non-psi powered mutant, is left to run the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Under pressure to keep things running, he turns to "kick," a mutant power enhancing drug that turns out to have mind-controlling nano-sentinels in it. Controlled by the nano-sentinels, the Beast of the future produces a mutant hybrid, combining the powers of Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and Angel, among others, to hunt down all surviving humans.

The story is excellent, and leaves readers dying for more. The major downside is that readers don't get more. As a result of an exclusive contract with DC Comics, Morrison left the X-book after this story, and the entire Morrison run was virtually undone by outdated hack Chris Claremont.

Here Comes Tomorrow is an excellent read, comics at almost its best, but don't read past it, for the follow-up, left unmapped by Morrison and terribly botched by Claremont, will leave you disappointed for dozens of issues to come.

Grant Morrison is the best thing to happen to comics in, well, forever. His sheer imagination and inexhaustive energy explodes from every page. Even when he's been teamed with lesser artists, his comics are always far superior than most that feature flashier (read: pin-up) artists. His scripts bring out the best from most of his artists (one notable exception: some of the art in the last story arc of THE INVISIBLES springs to mind). Take Chas Truog on ANIMAL MAN. No offence, Truog is by no means a Jim Lee or Todd McFarlane-league artist, but his interpretation of Grant's scripts were right on the money! His visuals told the story perfectly.

Now that Grant has hit the big league, he has had the pick of the crop. Pairing him with Marc Silvestri on his final arc is further proof of this. I'll admit, I'm a little biased when it comes to Marc. Having sat in on one of his convention panels some 10 or so years ago, he revealed himself to be one of the true nice guys. Very affable, very down-to-earth and approachable. In short, NO EGO! So anyone who slags his art off, well, it's just not warranted. I admit, some of his line work at times IS overkill, but, when he's paired with a great inker (or doesn't appear to be rushed) , his art shines. Besides, his Wolverine still stands as one of the definitive versions. I love his Beast and Nightcrawlers in this arc as well.

But it is Grant who is the star of this show. As the Grand Finale to his meta-series (begun in "E Is For Exctinction") , "Here Comes Tomorrow" is the gem of the lot. (I will admit, I would have liked Frank Quitely to return, but, alas...)

One really needs to read all of Grant's run (and re-read again and again) to truly appreciate the sum of Grant's saga. "Here Comes Tomorrow" is the pay-off for all of the hints and teases that Grant has been developing. One could argue that there are a couple of things not fully explained or tied-up, but to simply write these off as the work of a bad writer is to miss the point. Ambiguity and mystery are the key (think David Lynch) and I thank Grant for not taking his audience's intelligence for granted (no pun intended!). I mean, is Apollyon revealed as Fantomex (as E.V.A. seems to imply) or, as Silvestri's rendition of his bald unmasked face seems to suggest, is he Charles Xavier?? Ambiguity, indeed, and I love it! And take the Phoenix Phalanx (as I dubbed them) introduced toward the end. Just who is that lad who informs Jean: "And they said I was to tell you to hurry..." None other than Quentin Quire from "Riot At Xavier's". Genius!

Far too many failed to recognise just what it was Grant set out to achieve on his X-run. To return the sense of greatness and majesty and vitality that had been flogged out of the X-books by far too many X-overs and convoluted history that made many soap operas seem straight-forward in comparison. I'd say he succeeded. And then some.

I gave up on the X-Men years ago due to the interminable nature of the (seemingly never-ending) storylines and cheap gimmickry that saw the books become ever-more impenetrable and frustrating. When I heard that Grant Morrison was to write one of the regular series, I knew that I was in for a treat. And what a treat!
Grant's run on "NEW X-MEN" stands as THE definitive Mutant Epic, unrivalled, not even by the mighty Claremont-Byrne run! Big words, I know, but ones I stand behind.

If you have never read an X-Men comic before, do yourself a favor and read Grant's entire "NEW X-MEN" run. And if you have read X-Men comics in the past but not Grant's run, then what are you waiting for? Here comes tomorrow!

Ok one thing needs to be said about this story arc: beauitful art work. Silvestri makes a great come back. The art is similar to Joe Madureira except it has more of an edge. The art work accents the story nicley (as do the colors)

And as far as the writing goes...perfect. Morrison delivers the final blow and wraps up all the lose ends. Ranging from the the Stepford Cuckoos to Cassandra Nova to Ernest to Jean and the Phoenix force. What makes this story so effective is the characters we've been exposed to during Morrison's run and how everything seems to fall into place.

In my opinion, the ones who didn't like the arc are the ones who just couldn't read into Morrison's subplots and symbolism throughout his run.

Def. an A plus and a good lead in for Astonishing X-men

I've been a great fan, since 4 ever, when it comes to Mr. Morrison's work. I've recently purchused The Ivisibles, so coming after the "Anarchy for the Masses" seemed like the right thing to do. It kind of gave me a new perspective, for the things i missed doing my first reading. If you are looking for a great insight job, this is the right book to feed your hunger.
Greetings.

"Anarchy For The Masses swims the living body junk brain universe of a chemical=anthropoid by Grant Morrison's era respiration-byte modem=cardiac. Grant Morrison ill-treats on the digital-chimpanzee's gene archive which was raped by this abolition world with the biocapturing mode." - Kenji Siratori, author of Blood Electric

If you're a fan of THE INVISIBLES, you have to get this book! It really made sense of the maze that was the series. It's fun seeing the original creators comment on the entire series in the interviews. One of the better series guides I've seen.

This guide is better than no guide at all, given the (probably intentionally) confusing nature of many chapters within Grant Morrison's non-linear magnum opus. However, the page-by-page annotations are repetitive (I don't need *constantly* to be told that "Life as film is a recurring theme") and often assume the readers have spent their entire lives in a cave (I *know* who Ringo Starr and Richard Nixon are, thanks!). At the same time, missing from the annotations is any serious discussion (beyond brief mentions) of chaos magic, anarchist theory or other key themes and influences. The authors' one-paragraph reviews of each issue occasionally contain genuine insight, but more often focus on praising or nitpicking the artists' work, fanboy-style. Surely in such a profound work as *The Invisibles* it's the writing that's of primary importance?

This guide merits two extra stars: one for the helpful, editorially neutral issue-by-issue plot summaries which clear up many ambiguous moments in the series; and one for the engrossing Morrison interview at the end. Interested readers should consult the Invisibles section of Barbelith online and the Grant Morrison pages on Disinformation online; you'll find much more intelligent discussion than found in this guide.

...or almost.

Fact is, this very well-designed book is divided up in small chapters - one for each Invisibles issue. Every chapter is in its turn composed of small interviews (the bulk of them being with artist Jimenez), two separate fan-like comments from the curators and an occasional small quote from Grant Morrison himself.
Finally, in the sidebars of each page, there is a very detailed comment to each relevant panel or phrase. "Very detailed" meaning that the authors even go to the lenghts of reminding the reader that "Marylin Monroe was a big sex symbol in the late Fifties and onward..." etc etc.

I actually liked this "take nothing for granted" approach, but with it come a number of problems. First and foremost, there are no visual references, so you have to keep the orginal Invisibles book at hand to follow the notes. Then, this much detail means lots of text, which in turn had to be printed very small to fit on the sidebars - reading it might be tiring to many.

The final interview with Grant Morrison is priceless, altough it replicates much stuff that you can easily find on the sites devoted to The Invisibles.

So is this book worth the buying? My answer is maybe not if you're already heavily into fringe counterculture, as you'll already know about everything there's to know. In any other case, go for it as it can make your Invisibles reading experience much more layered and interesting.

So by this point, I'm pretty much into the groove of Grant Morrison's writing and I didn't really think he would surprise me with anything new or exciting, but with the first story in here he did it. We are introduced to a new villain, Prometheus, and he is just too cool. He's basically the anti-Batman, except he gains all his knowledge and abilities by downloading it into his helmet. But he sure knows how to plan a one man attack on the JLA in their own watchtower of all places. A great way to kick it off.

Next is a cool story about a villain Julian September who has the ability to increase the odds in his favor, and he has a thing about the number 7. JLA members mysteriously dissapear and the remaining members have to figure out why. My second favorite story in this volume.

Next is a two parter featuring Adam Strange, but don't think he's there to team up with the group. I wasn't too crazy about the twist in this one but is has an all right ending.

Last is a story featuring Sandman. I have never read any Sandman previously so I can comment on if he was represented here faithfully, but overall this story was kind of bland.

This volume also features Mark Waid as a guest writer which was a nice change of pace. Plus Superman finally reverts back to his original suit which after two volumes of that was a welcome change. The new members in here include Steel, Huntress, Barda, Orion, Zauriel, Plastic Man (great comic relief) and Oracle. A nice improvement over the previous issues as I liked the switching up of the team each issue. I guess the more the merrier.

A longer trade compilation, the JLA has to deal with the very deadly Prometheus, and really only do so with the help of a couple of ringers.

They journey to Rann to assist Adam Strange, and meet an old enemy who has started a careful takeover plan. Throw in Dream, the Sandman, as well.

Following the disbanding of the JLA in the Rock of Ages, the fathers of JLA decide to reform the team and increase the member number, the new members are Zauriel, Steel, Huntress, Plastic Man. This collection also introduces Prometheus and how he takes out the enitre JLA on their own Moonbase. I thought that this was the best story in the trade. The next story was about the case of Julian September and about how he alters probability and how the most normal occurrences are thereby changed, i.e. Bruce Wayne's parents were never killed etc. The final stories were of Adam Strange (the worst one in the trade). All in all pretty entertaining.

These stories were originally published as JLA #16-#23.

The stories begin with Superman, Aquaman and Batman reforming the JLA that was disbanded in the last book. It is never made clear why the JLA was disbanded by the three, and, when it is put back together at the end of the first story in this issue, it is the same characters as before, plus Zauriel, Huntress, Steel and Plastic Man (with Oracle behind the scenes). Maybe they disbanded cause the old rules said they could only have seven? And, not that I'm arguing, but who put Superman, Batman and Aquaman in charge? I guess no Wonder Woman at the top because she died and her place was taken by her mother? Superman says the league is the world's only hope, it may be that they needed to add more talents to defeat upcoming opponents.

The storylines with Prometheus and Julian September are excellent, the last two with Adam Strange and the Sandman less so. Prometheus makes his powers equal to all of the JLAers...but he forgets a couple of new members and interlopers. He escapes so expect to see him in later books. Julian September opens up the world to probabilities and events that are million to one shots begin happening regularly. Both of these are great challenges for the team.

Favorite panels: the pictures of the reformed JLA, pg 24, 52 and 90 are spectacular. And the panel on page 202 with J'onn looking down on the eastern Canada, Great Lakes, Greenland area with the monster in the water is great.

I've been reading the graphic novels in order, and this is the best so far. Following the awful "JLA: Rock of Ages", "JLA: Srength in Numbers" is comprised of a number of shorter stories; each of which is filled with adventure and soul. Yes, these stories have a soul, or a spirit. One of which even brought tears to my eyes. I can't say any other comic in recent memory has had that effect on me. Zauriel is a great addition to the JLA team. Wonder Woman is under used. But as a whole, these stories worked to entertain and inspire. What else can you ask for?

Art is at its best and storywise one of the best in the Morrison era. Actually in this volume starts the good stuff plot wise that will lead to the next also amazing volumes. The class of specials is my favourite subplot, these guyz are so cool! Although this is the most "to the ground" story it is my favourite. Morrison plays with the standardised themes in the X-Men that made the series so boring and predictable.

Higly entertaining!

Riot at Xaviers is a trade collecting New X-Men #134-138. I had heard great things about Grant Morrison's run on the title but this trade left me very unsatisfied. The story follows one of the Institutes most powerful students gathering up a gang of students rebelling against the system. I was very unsatisfied with the storytelling, if i needed to sum up my thoughts in two words they are: Boring, irrelevant. Frank Quietly's artwork is horrible in my opinion and this is the first time i have purchased a trade and wanted to send it back.

I've had mixed feelings about Grant Morrison's run on New X-Men. On one hand, the stories he has told thus far have been good, and are responsible for introducing Cassandra Nova, Xorn, and the Special Class of X-Men. But I have sometimes found the pacing to be a bit off, and the art tends to really bug me. In Riot at Xavier's, those two problems are pretty non-existent. For once, the art is consistently good and the story is told at the right speed.
Quentin Quire is a star pupil at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. He is an Omega-level mutant and has the potential to be the world's next great telepath, on par with Jean Grey, Emma Frost, and Charles Xavier himself. His intelligence and little patience causes him to be unliked by his peers, especially the popular Slick, Tatoo, and the five Stepford Cuckoos. Upon learning that he was adopted and finding out that a respected mutant was the victim of a human attack, he decided that he had had enough of trying to pursue Xavier's dream in the world that hates and fears him, and he decides to give people a reason to hate and fear him. Displaying how affective his powers can be by showing the handsome Slick's true, and grotesque, form. He assembles a gang that dresses similar to how mutants were dressed in racist depictions made by humans to generate fear of mutants. Calling himself Kid Omega, Quire leads his gang in acts of violence against humans and instructs them to challenge Xavier and the X-Men.
Cyclops, Beast, and Emma Frost must deal with Quire's uprising while Xorn, the newest teacher and X-Man, leads the "Special Class". This class consists of the most bizarre and grotesque mutants at Xavier's. In a cruel twist of irony, mutantkind has gotten to the point where the ones that appear human can show a sort of racism to the ones who do not appear human. Members of the Special Class include Beak, Angel, Ernst (a young girl with the wrinkled face of an elderly woman), Martha (a brain in a jar), and Dummy (sentient gas). He takes them on a trip to the woods where Beak and Angel begin to get intimate, and the U-Men return.
As Quire calls for the students to let go of Xavier's dream (he goes as far as to wear a "Magneto was Right" t-shirt in front of Xavier), we begin to see a darker side of Charles Xavier. He begins to show signs of oppression and hatred to Quire. Granted, the kid is out of line with many of the things he says and does, but it is interesting to see Xavier, who is based on Martin Luther King, begin to act to a fellow mutant the way some humans act towards mutants.
A few things I noticed in this story line was that the X-Men didn't seem to do very much themselves. This is the story of Quentin Quire and Xorn's Special Class. Xavier and the X-Men are present at the events, but it seems that this story is about the students. I also must say that it seems unlikely that a bunch of punk kids can take out Wolverine as fast as they did, but Quire is an Omega-level mutant. Speaking of Wolverine, he and Jean Grey were barely in this story. However, Jean does factor in to a very important sub-story.
As I said, this is definitely Grant Morrison's strongest arc of New X-Men yet. His stories probably aren't for everyone, and they are definitely not the best comics I've read, but these are entertaining and poignant stories (also, if you are a fan of the phenominal Astonishing X-Men, these stories directly tie into Joss Whedon's masterpiece).

Riot at Xavier's, the fourth collected volume in Grant Morrison's New X-Men run, continues the strangely gifted writer breaking the unwritten laws of the X-Men mythos. An Omega level telepath named Quentin Quire, spurned by the death of celebrity-like mutant, begins forming a gang inside the school as their opening day to the public approaches. Loaded with snappy dialogue, Morrison's master storytelling, and superb art by Frank Quitely (who actually managed to ALMOST do all the art for a full storyarc), this volume ends on a tragic note, along with some hard choices to make for Beak, and Jean learning of the psychic affair between Cyclops and Emma Frost. However, this volume is only the calm before the storm, and is followed by the pivotal events in Assault on Weapon Plus, and the cataclysmic events in Planet X and Here Comes Tomorrow.

Since when have comics become a medium for projecting current topical events (drug use, puberty-induced angst, teen pregnancy)? Morrison is a gifted writer, but its obvious that the guy is trying to kill the title.
Things are complicated enough in the X-Men titles (New X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, Ultimate X-Men, Exiles, etc.), but this takes it to a new level. Who are these people? What do they bring to the table in terms of advancing the storyline? Why is Xavier just sitting around and letting his students kill people?
And what's with the art? I can forgive on the condition that this is the same guy who penciled the original Aeon Flux, but thats about it.

This book is good. Is Grant Morrison anyway, and i don't care about Igor Kordey's art, i think it's just fine, besides, the story of Xorn is one of my favorites in the whole new x-men storyline.

Grant Morrison did the unthinkable when he had Professor Charles Xavier outed as a mutant. For the first time since the X-Men's creation back in the 60's, people realized that the reason Prof. X campaigned so hard for mutant rights and human/mutant relations was that he himself was a mutant. Now, living his life without hiding his true nature, as well as the ability to walk due to mutant healer Xorn, he realizes that many people accept him and the X-Men more than ever due to their honesty, while other humans feel that he has lied to him all these years. Still, he counts the situation as an overall victory. However, humans are still fearful of mutants, especially since, a few issues back, they began to realize that they were on the road to extinction, while mutants would replace them as the dominant species on Earth.
In New Worlds, we see individual humans dealing with increasingly freakish mutants (the days of Beast's large appendages in his pre-furry form being the scariest thing related to being a mutant are LONG gone). On one of Xorn's first missions as an X-Man, he is asked to help stop a large mutant monster that supposedly ate a small boy. However, things aren't what they seem, and the conclusion of his mission causes him to question why humans are worth allying with. On the other hand, human governments have restarted their efforts to maintain humanity's presence on this planet by going back to the program that made Wolverine who he is today. Weapon X, the project that gave Wolverine metal claws and a blank memory, was merely the 10th (hence the X, as in Roman numeral 10) stage, and now the government is up to 12/XII. Jean Grey and Prof. X are taken hostage by a European mutant terrorist who tells them that he needs their help destroying Weapon XII, or it will destroy a European branch of Xavier's X-Corp.
The issues in New Worlds heavily focus on Grey and Xavier, leaving most of the other team members with little to do. However, Cyclops and Emma Frost are shown to begin the psychic affair that becomes a big part of Morrison's run. Never before has Scott Summers doubted that Jean was the woman for him, but now, with the presence of Frost, as well as his recent possession by the mutant terrorist Apocalypse, he begins to question if he still loves his wife the way he once did.
Also, the new students are further developed here, and the new, young Angel (a girl with fly wings) meets Archangel, the man who used to go by the codename Angel and was one of the founding members of the X-Men. The new students are detested by many of the older students, due to their bizarre powers and physique. Mutants have now become so common, that some begin to look down on others for being so incredibly different from them, which is strange, seeing as how they themselves are looked down on by humans.
This collection was very good, though not as good as the two preceeding it, and far from the best X-book I've read (that honor definitely goes to Whedon's Astonishing X-Men, though I haven't had a huge exposure to the X-Men). Still, it is entertaining, and serves as set-up for the following arcs.

This collects issues #127-133.

I read this in one sitting. I couldn't wait to get home and start the next one. Morrison's New X-Men graphic novels are like a book that you just can't put down.

The mutant called Dust makes her first appearance (ever) in this book, albeit briefly and she's not really in the next volume. There's also a teaser to upcoming relationship troubles regarding Scott Summers.

The only bad thing about this collection is Igor's art. (I didn't realize Siryn was involved in the action until several pages later because of his art.) The writing by Morrison is great. Rogue agents, Weapon X, and a trip to Genosha's remains are the main topics.

Grant Morrison has bred new life into the X-Men. The stories and characters are fleshed out, fresh, and kept interesting. I love what has been done here. The art is still as good as in the previous volumes.

The third installment of Grant Morrisons run on the Xmen slows down the pace slightly as it tries to expand on certain plotlines. Scott begins to have an affair with Emma, Xorn tries to help a confused mutant, a dangerous threat is unleashed in France, Fantomex is introduced (UGH) and Polaris tries to cope with her fathers (Magneto) legacy. The story is quite interesting, unfortunatly the art isn't up to snuff. The storyline where the Xmen are attacked in a subway in France is atrociously drawn, too much is going on and the hideous art made it very hard to understand what exactly is happening. I wouldn't reccommend it. EP

if your a simpsons fan this is for you.. but dont be supprised if you find it not that funny.. you can easily tell it wasnt written by groening... but its still an alright time killer.

The Simsons comics extravaganza is purfect.the best of all the books(The books i own.)My fave is"The Amazing Colossal Homer."It reflects Burns' black soul and Homers Dumness.All the other comics in this book are purfect too.

This is one of my favourite simpsons books ever, infact I would like to give ten stars of amusement. This book contains issues that are very funny, my favourite issue is the 1st one when Homer Simpson turns into an enormous sized giant.

For Simpson Comics Extravangsa(I know its wrong). it gives the first 4 episodes in the Simpson Comics. My favoriate part was the one with Robert Tewliger( Sideshow Bob). It is better to get the single comics, but the book looks nice.

I have a dozen Simpsons comic books and they all brim with comics, mock advertisements, top ten lists, Itchy and Scratchy shorts, etc. which sport that famous television series humor. Here's what awaits you in this issue:

"Amazing Collosal Homer": Mr. Burns' lab conducts a biological experiment on Homer causing him to grow into a giant. Will Homer's love of donuts and beer--previous source of his normal girth--be the ironic key to his recovery? As Marge says, "Thank heavens for his super-stretch underwear."

"The Collector": Homer plays a wealthy loner who lives in a mansion with his prized possession--"the world's greatest library of comic books." This story is very intriguing and a little spooky. Find out why the Collector goes insane in the end.

"Cool Hand of Bart": Bart attends a "Scared Spitless" anti-deliquency program at the local prison and finds himself on a chain gang with his nemesis Sideshow Bob! What happens when Bob escapes authorities with a reluctant Bart going along for the ride? Why does Bob end up wearing an "I Love Krusty" cap? Fans of the TV show will get a kick out of seeing copies of the Springfield Review of Books in Bob's cell.

"My Sister, My Homewrecker": Selma making out with Homer!?! It has to be seen to be believed!

"The Perplexing Puzzle of the Springfield Puma": Many suspects are named when Springfield elementary's mascot turns up missing, but sometimes it's the one you least suspect. Martin Prince does his "Sopranos" imitation in this one.

"Krusty Agent of K.L.O.W.N.": Springfield's favorite clown tries out an idea for a new TV show. This short includes an interesting mating ritual between Krusty and secretary Miss. Pennycandy.

"It's in the Cards": This story could easily be a TV episode. It starts with a buzzer going off at the Nuclear Power Plant. Lenny, Carl, and Homer scream with terror--their caramel swirl cake almost melted in the microwave. Then the gang sneek off to an Isotopes game after Homer tapes a photo of himself working over Mr. Burns' surveillance camera (upside down, of course). After Homer rushes back to beat the clock, he inadvertently turns off the power to a frozen food warehouse which leads to the plot of the story: the elementary school teachers are out with food poisoning and Bart and Lisa are stuck with substitutes (Lisa's sub is a far-right conservative).

"The Gnarly Adventures of Busman": Finally, you get a sample of Otto's comic strip introduced in the television episode "Three Men and a Comic Book."